Marcus Williamson, a former Ohio State defensive back, pleaded guilty Monday in Franklin County Municipal Court to nine counts of robbery tied to a string of bank heists across Columbus last year. The 27-year-old admitted he used notes that implied he had a gun and took cash from multiple branches, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25.
According to 10TV, court records show Williamson entered the plea to nine counts of robbery as prosecutors detailed the string of incidents in filings made public this week. The station reported that the plea was entered during a hearing in Columbus and that the robberies date back to 2024.
Police Tracking and Arrest
Detectives testified that they identified Williamson as a suspect, placed a GPS tracker on his vehicle, and then watched him leave a North Columbus bank with cash on April 24, 2024, according to reporting by WOSU. Authorities told a judge that the same basic method, passing a note demanding $20s, $50s, and $100s, wearing latex gloves and sometimes a mask, linked multiple robberies around Franklin County.
From the Field to the Courtroom
Williamson played five seasons at Ohio State from 2017 through 2021 as a defensive back and was part of Big Ten title teams during that stretch, per his college player page. What started as a familiar local sports name has now become the focus of a criminal case headed toward a summer sentencing hearing.
Legal Outlook
Robbery is a felony under Ohio law, and penalties can increase if an offense is elevated to aggravated robbery or if weapon specifications apply, as outlined in the Ohio Revised Code. Williamson’s plea settles the question of guilt on the nine counts, but the sentencing will determine how long he could spend in prison and what additional penalties he might face.
He remains in custody ahead of the June 25 sentencing date, according to court records and local reporting. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected at that hearing to make their cases for what they believe the sentence should be.
